Hollywood comes knocking so it's time to get physical 'You can't make a living out of our hockey . . . I always wanted to go to university or college'

KATEHollywood is young, already an international sports star, and desperate for an education that will provide her with a career long after she has hung up her hockey stick.

The 19-year-old Hockeyroo wants to secure a future as a physical education teacher or a personal trainer and has turned to a specialised private college to help her achieve this ambition.

While representing her country has disrupted her capacity to study, she has still been able to continue her bachelor degree part-time through the Australian College of Physical Education.

The college, established in 1917, has about 650 students studying for one of three degrees.

Stuart Ayres, marketing and recruitment manager, says that while the college does not use the UAI as its primary selector, students must have strong academic results. The college also considers sporting achievements and a student's contribution to his or her school and community. Then there is a personal interview.

"The majority of our students come from a sports background," Mr Ayres said.

"The ethos of the college is a healthy mind and a healthy body. We tend to attract students who want to be involved in sport."

Students who choose to attend private colleges in NSW can study hotel management, graphic design, visual arts, music, business and sports management, among other specialties, at bachelor degree level.

These colleges, which specialise in one or two areas of study, strive to attract the cream of the crop in a particular field and provide an intense study experience. Smaller class sizes than public universities mean students get personal attention and can often complete a degree in less than the usual three years.

The degrees are of equal value to those offered at universities and sometimes are awarded by linked tertiary institutions.

At the William Blue International Hotel Management School, for example, students who complete the advanced diploma in hotel management can then study for the bachelor of business (tourism and hospitality) awarded by La Trobe University.

In some instances, students choose a private college over university because of a guaranteed place, even though that may come at a high cost for tuition.

As for KateHollywood, her increasing Hockeyroo duties have eaten into the amount of study she is doing, but she's still determined to get a tertiary qualification.

"You can't make a living out of our hockey," she explained matter-of-factly during the recent Hockey Champions Trophy in Canberra. "I always wanted to go to university or college."

Hollywood, of Gymea Bay, has up to eight years to complete her bachelor of physical and health education. She's already completed one year and a further semester full-time but has had to complete assignments and communicate with lecturers by email this past semester and has dropped to one subject.

Others in the national women's hockey team enrolled at other institutions have had to defer their studies altogether.

The midfielder is not sure what will happen next year but hopes to make the team for the Commonwealth Games, while also continuing her studies. Hollywood had previously represented Australia in the under 21 team and played in the Junior World Cup in Chile.

The college campus is at Sydney's Olympic Park at Homebush, which means Hollywood and all the other elite athletes who study there have access to Olympic-standard training facilities, which is perfect if you happen to be in a state or national team.

"A lot of people are in state teams," she says of her fellow students. "Most people are fairly sporty. My parents are both teachers and I never really thought about anything else."

> Australian College of Applied Psychology: Offers single modules or certificate, diploma or degree courses in areas such as counselling, communication and human resources. Fees are $1295 per module (certificate courses require six modules of study and degree courses require 24). Phone 1800 809 299 or see www.acap.edu.au.

> JMC Academy: Offers certificate, diploma and degree courses in popular music and performance, audio engineering and sound production, digital film and TV production, digital media and 3D animation and music business management. Cost $7000 to $9800 a year. Phone 9281 8899 or see www.jmc.net.au.

A SPORTY COLLEGE

>The Australian College of Physical Education is at Sydney Olympic Park at Homebush Bay.

>Fees are $7100 a semester ($1775 a subject) for all three degrees offered: bachelor of education (physical and health education), bachelor of dance education and bachelor of sports business.

>There will be two intakes of 100 students each in January and March 2006. Phone 9739 3333.

The best photography from The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. more photos

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